By Your Side
by YanksLuver
Summary: Extension of 83 episode scene between RobinAnna & RobertPatrick. Missing scene between RobinPatrick.


**Title**: By Your Side  
**Author**: Steph  
**Rating**: PG  
**Pairing**: Robin/Patrick, Anna/Robin, Robert/Patrick  
**Category**: Drama/Romance  
**Disclaimer**: I do this out of a love for this couple. No infringement is intended.  
**Spoilers**: 8/3 episode.  
**Summary**: Extension of 8/3 episode scene between Robin/Anna & Robert/Patrick. Missing scene between Robin/Patrick.

**Note**: I loved Thursday's episode, but, as usual, I'm a little piggy and I wanted more! And that's what fanfics are for! In my dream world, this is how I would have liked the scenes to continue and the scene I wish we had between Scrubs. Very short! Anyway, hope you enjoy it and please let me know what you thought! -Steph

**--- By Your Side: Part 1/1 ---**

Anna pulled back from Robin and wiped at her daughter's tearstained cheeks with her fingertips. She then cupped her face and smiled softly.

"Are you ready to admit it yet?"

Robin's eyes narrowed. "Admit what?"

"How you really feel about Patrick?"

Robin lowered her eyes. "I don't know what you mean."

"I mean, not long ago you sat across from me just like you are now and said you were starting to fall in love with Patrick. But I know you, darling. I could see in your eyes and hear in your voice that you had fallen hard and long ago for that man. I just don't think you were ready to admit that to yourself then. Are you now?"

Robin stared into her mug, but didn't reply. Anna covered her hand with hers.

"This reaction you're having about Patrick's situation is so strong because of how you feel about him. This isn't happening to a friend or a colleague. It's not happening to someone you simply care about."

Robin's eyes moved to her silverware and she began to fiddle with her spoon.

"Robin," Anna said softly.

She raised her eyes to meet her mother's, tears blurring her vision.

"I love him," she replied, quietly and simply.

A gentle smile crossed Anna's lips and she patted her daughter's hand. "I know." She paused and then added, "You look at him and see another man you love being affected by this disease."

Robin smiled bitterly. "The moment I realized what had happened to him in that O.R., I felt my heart hammering in my chest. I literally couldn't breathe, that's how scared I was for him. And every time I've looked at him since I see Stone. This smart, strong, brave boy that I loved who I had to watch waste away. I've had friends who have had to deal with this unknown and I've had other friends who have had to struggle with the painful truth. But I never looked at them and saw Stone. And it finally hit me why. You're right, Patrick isn't just a friend or a colleague who is going through this. He's the man I love."

Anna smiled sweetly. "Now doesn't it feel good to get that off your chest?"

Robin let out a breath and nodded, her lips curling into a smile. "Yeah, it actually does."

Anna tilted her head. "He feels the same way, you know."

Robin shook her head and raised her eyebrows. "I don't know about that."

Anna nodded and smiled, "Well, I do and you're supposed to believe everything I say today, remember?" Robin chuckled, as Anna went on. "Your father knew it when he went to speak to him after he ended things with you. He could tell. And I could see it today when I looked at him. He was so concerned about your well-being, Robin. I didn't see a trace of the man you've described. Not a hint of this self-absorbed, arrogant, shallow man you've told me about." She shook her head, her eyes focused on her daughter's. "All I saw was a man who was worried about the woman he loves, even though right now he's going through hell. No one would blame him for focusing only on himself right now, but he not only noticed something was wrong with you, he did something about it. That should tell you the kind of man he really is, Robin. That should tell you how he truly feels about you."

A smile spread across Robin's lips. "Everyday he surprises me with the kind of man he's showing himself to be. You should have seen the way he fought for April, our patient. And what he did in that O.R. was the bravest, most selfless act I've ever witnessed. He jeopardized his life to save his patient's. He acts as if he was just doing his job, but you would be hard-pressed to find another surgeon who would do the same thing if given the choice."

Anna placed her face in her palm and stared at Robin, her eyes twinkling. Robin's smile grew self-conscious. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

Anna pursed her lips. "It's just the way you talk about him, that's all. I don't even think you realize it. You get this sparkle in your eyes. And your voice and your face soften." Robin blushed and dropped her eyes to the table. "I am so happy you found him and never gave up on him."

Robin couldn't have agreed more.

---

Patrick sighed, as he glanced over his shoulder and found Robert trailing behind him.

He stopped abruptly and spun around. "If this is you attempting stealth, then I'm afraid you may need a refresher course."

"I wasn't trying to go unnoticed, Drake. I just...Well, I realized there was something else I wanted to say to you."

Patrick smirked. "What? That I can call you Dad? Family game night is Saturday at nine and I'm invited? Great. I'll bring the dip."

Robert chuckled. "That's funny. I like your sense of humor."

Patrick rolled his eyes. "I can't tell you how pleased I am to hear that."

Robert grinned and placed his arms over his chest. "Great. I'm on a roll. Let's see how you feel about what I'm going to say next."

Patrick's eyebrows arched. Truth be told, Robert had really touched him by saying he had the right stuff to be deserving of Robin and that any family would be lucky to have him. Patrick struggled so much with whether he could ever be the man Robin deserved and Robin often reinforced his fears with her comments. But hearing Robert Scorpio say such a thing to him made him believe that maybe there was hope for him yet.

Patrick let out a breath and shrugged his shoulders. "Anytime you're ready."

Robert cocked his head. "I was thinking about the last conversation we had concerning my daughter after you ended things with her. I was upset with how I felt you had treated her. You gave me some song and dance about how you were trying to protect her because you couldn't be the man she deserves. You said you were too self-absorbed and concerned about your career to have anything left to give anyone else. Do you remember what I said to you?"

A bitter smile crossed Patrick's lips. "That strong, independent women like Robin don't come around often and that I'd have to be a perfect idiot to let her go."

Robert grinned. "The fact that you remembered what I said so well tells me I left an impression."

"I have a feeling you always aim to leave an impression."

Robert laughed and nodded, "That I do."

Patrick stared at him, waiting for him to go on. When Robert didn't, Patrick let out a breath. "This may surprise you, but I am working. So if you could get to the point some time soon, that would be great."

Robert bobbed his head and focused his eyes on him. "My point is that for all of your talk, you couldn't truly let her go."

Patrick's eyes narrowed. "Maybe I didn't want you to think I was a perfect idiot."

"Maybe you couldn't help yourself," Robert countered quickly.

Patrick looked up at the ceiling. "Do you always speak in riddles?"

Robert took a step toward him and raised his forefinger up at him, "You couldn't let my daughter go no matter how much you tried. No matter how much you told yourself it was the best thing for her. And the question you have to ask yourself is why?"

Patrick shook his head and lowered his eyes from the ceiling to the floor, saying quietly. "I'm not sure what you want me to say to that."

"Like I said, you don't have to answer to me. You have to answer to yourself. I think you're battling a bunch of fears, son. I don't know about all of them, but I do think you're scared to fail Robin. So, you've convinced yourself you're so self-absorbed that you have nothing to give her. But let's look at the evidence. Following one of the worst days of your life, you weren't thinking about yourself. You were thinking about my daughter."

Patrick lifted his head and met Robert's eyes just long enough to see the twinkle in them, before Robert turned on his heel and walked away.

---

Robin entered the locker room, her eyes landing on Patrick's form standing at his locker changing. She walked the few steps to his locker and stood by his side.

"I just saw my mother."

Patrick pulled a scrubs top over his head. "Good. I know you missed her."

"She told me you spoke to her and my father about me today."

Patrick glanced at her quickly, before looking down at his belt as he began to unbuckle it. "I may have run into them at the MetroCourt and mentioned you."

Robin reached out and covered his hand with hers, stopping his movement. "Can you just stop for a minute and look at me, please?"

Patrick blew out a breath and then raised his eyes to her. Robin swallowed hard and then smiled softly, "Thank you for your concern, but I don't want you to worry about me. You have enough on your mind right now. You don't need to think about how this is affecting me."

Patrick's eyes scanned her face. "So you get to help me through this, but I'm just supposed to act like this isn't hard for you? I know you want to prove to me how strong you are and that HIV doesn't make someone less than who they were, but you've already proven that to me, Robin. You prove it to me everyday by approaching life with such courage and optimism. But that doesn't mean this isn't difficult for you, having to relive what happened with Stone and your own diagnosis."

Robin swallowed hard. "This is so hard because it's happening to you, Patrick."

Patrick's brow furrowed. "I know you're worried about me, but I'm going to be fine."

Robin could feel her chest tighten and she shook her head, her voice shaking as she spoke. "I tell myself your odds are good. That even if you are infected, you will be able to live a long and happy life like I have been. My mother even did her best to help me believe that everything's going to be fine. But I can't help how I feel. I can't keep the fears and doubts from creeping in. I am terrified that I am going to lose you, just like I lost Stone. I can't lose another man I..." Robin's voice trailed off, as tears began to slip down her cheeks. Patrick stared at her intently, as she finished softly, "I don't want to lose you, Patrick."

He raised his hands up and cupped her face, as he brushed away her tears with his thumbs. He brought his lips to her forehead and kissed it softly. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her close to him and she lay her head against his chest.

He placed his chin atop her head and squeezed his eyes closed, as he whispered. "You're not going to lose me."

Robin closed her eyes and tried to let his warmth bring her comfort. She tried to let the steady beat of his heart soothe her fears.

After a few moments, Patrick pulled back and looked down at her. "We're going to get through this together."

A crooked smile appeared on her lips. "Together, huh?"

He nodded. "Yeah, we're going to help each other through this." He paused and then added with a lopsided grin. "I've heard that's what people in relationships do."

Robin's eyes brows darted upward. "Oh, so we're in a relationship now?"

He cocked his head, his eyes playful. "You won by default, remember." He paused and then added, "Plus, your dad said any family would be lucky to have me and I'm pretty sure he's going to want me to be in the family Christmas card photo."

"My dad said that?" Robin asked, her eyes widening.

"Yeah, it was a real touching moment," he said, attempting sarcasm, but his tone and the look in his eyes gave him away.

Robin's smile fell away from her face. "Are you really serious about this relationship thing?"

He shrugged, as he brought his hand up and brushed some bangs off her forehead. "The only ones we've been fooling are ourselves, Robin. We've been in a relationship all along."

Robin shook her head, "Two days ago, I never would have expected those words to come out of your mouth."

He licked at his lips and focused on her eyes, his voice emerging softly, "Two days ago, I didn't realize what I've had standing by my side all this time."

Robin smiled, as Patrick once again pulled her into his arms.

**-----------------------------------------------------THE END--------------------------------------------------**


End file.
